Vertically movable hinged panel door



May 10, 1932. A w. R. HEADLEY l v VERTIGALLY MovABLE HINGED PANEL Doon l' l RIA/6714;@

v gl-william .Ziflgaall'ejc (AY. will May 10, 1932. w. R. HEADLEY 158579756 VERTIGALLY MOVABLE HINGED PANEL DOOR Filed Jan. 15, 1930 4 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 7%2. /3 f z f m L l l /dh'am H .Handle May 10,1932.

W, R. HEADLEY YVERTICALIJY MOVABLE HINGED PANEL DOOR Filed Jan. 15. 1930 3 SheefbsfSheet I5 Patented May 10, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ics WILLIAM R. HEADLY, OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA VERTICALLY MOVABLE HINGED PANEL DOOR Application filed January 15, 1930'. Serial No. 420,943.

My invention pertains to a vertically movable hinged panel door. v v

My invention pertains to a'type of'door suitable for a garage orlarge opening, 1n

Another detailed object of my invention is f l an arrangement by which the individual panels of the door may roll on tracks, there being suitable small'carriages interconnecting the panels with the tracks. In this connection a further detailed object of my invention is arranging the tracks, the hinges and pressure devices so that when the doorl is closed it is pressedtightly against the door frame, thus establishing a tight fitting door when closed.

Another object of my invention in connection with al spring actuated door, is utilizing what is termed a roller type of spring with tapes or the like connected to a reel rotated by the operation of the spring roller; the tapes being connected to the lower panel of the door and thereby'utilized to lift the door and shift same from, the vertical to the horizontal position above the door openin And in this connection a detailed obJect o my invention is utilizing a pair of spring rollers; each of these rollers being connected by a tape or cable to the opposite ends of the low er panel of the door and these giving a counterbalancing lift to allow easy raising ofa heavy garage door.

My invention is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is an inside perspective view of a door constructed according to one form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the door, showing this shifted to the open position above the door opening;

Fig.v 3 is a detail longitudinal section through the spring roller;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective View of a lower pressure guide carriage andfillustrat vin the fastening of the tape;

`igv. 5 is a perspective detail of the top pressure carriage, compressing the top door securely against the door'frame.;v

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one'v of the roller mounted carriages combining a hinge; y

Fig. 7`is a modified form of my invention utilizing a single spring roller as the counter-balancing structure or the door;

Fig. 8 is a detail section showing the spring drum and ratchet of Fig. 7.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the door I jambs are indicated by the numeral 11 and the inside front wall of a building such as a garage by the numeral 12. The ceiling of the building isindicated at 13. The door j amb is indicated as being formed of vertical timbers or posts, thus making a door frame and on the inner side of these there is a vertical railing 14. This rail is formed as a channel having two flanges 15 and a web 16. Underneath the ceiling and vextending rearwardly from, the top of the door opening there is a horizontal track 17 also illustrated as formed as a channel. The tracks 14 and 17 arevjoined by a graduated curved track section 18. Extending towards the door posts from each of the horizontal sections of the track, there is an extension track 19 which is illustrated as formed of an angle bar and this has a downwardly bent forward end 20.

The rails may be securely fastened in position by a foot 21 engaging the floor and having bolts therethrough and by a bracket 22 attached to the ceiling.

The door assembly designated generally by the numeral 23 has a series of panels, these being indicated as a lower panel 24, an upper panel 25 and intermediate panels 26, there being two intermediate panels illustrated. The panels are of. suiiicient length to it behind the door posts on the inside of the building and are held in place against the door posts by hinged carriagesand pressing carriages as hereunder detailed.

The hinged carriers 27 are illustrated par- I lower leaf being adapted to be attached to a lower panel and the upper leaf to an upper panel by screws orthe like. These leaves have a knuckle with a hinge pin therethrough. The lower leaves are provided with bracket plates 31 and with a top plate 32 connecting these brackets. Slidably mounted on the top plate there is a roller carrying plate 33, there being a bolt and slot connection 34 between the plates. The end of the plate 33 is formed with an eye 35 which carries astud 36 having a roller 37 mounted thereon. These rollers fit in the groove of the channels of the rails, the rollers running on the flanges. The adjustment of the hinge leaves from the rollers allows the panels of the door to be positioned snugly against the door posts, but with suflicient clearance to allow the door panels to be moved upwardly and downwardly on the vertical track and shifted on to the horizontal track.

The bottom panel is held in close contact with the door posts by a pressure guide carriage 38. This is illustrated as having a leaf 39 secured to the lower door panel, there being one on each marginal edge and connected to this fixed leaf there is a hinged leaf 40, the

f hinge ybeing illustrated at 41. A pin 42 has a hinged mounting 43 on the plate 39 and projects through a hole in the leaf 40. A compression spring 44 exerts a thrust between the two leaves, tending to separate such leaves. The outer end of the leaf 40 has a journal section 45 carrying a stud with a roller 46 mounted thereon. These rollers engage in the groove of the channel-shaped tracks.

The upper guide and pressure carriage assembly designated 47, is designed for the upper panel and has a leaf plate 48 ixedly secured to the marginal edge of the upper panel and has a hinge leaf 49 connecte by the hinge 50 to the leaf 48. A pin 51 has a hin ed mounting 52 on the leaf 48 and exten s through a perforation in the leaf 49.

This pin has an adjustable nut 53 thereon and a compression spring 54 between the nut and the leaf 49. The compression spring tends to draw the leaves together. l At the upper end of the leaf 48 there is an angular bracket 55 havingva stud with a roller 56 mounted thereon. This roller is designed to engage the upper surface of the extension track 19 and to ride on the upper surface of the u vper flange of the horizontal track 17 The eaf 49 has an offset end 57 with a stud 58 connected thereto, this stud mounting a roller 59 which roller fits in the groove of the channel of the horizontal rail section 17 and of the curved section 18.

When the door is closed, the curved section vv20 forces the roller 56 outwardly and thus presses the top panel tightly against the door post. In the action of opening the door, as the roller 59 operates iny the groove in the curved section 18 of the rail 17, the spring 54 acting on the pin 51 pullsthe roller 56 of the upper panel along tie curved section 20 of the rail 19.

The spring counter-balancing devices for the door comprise a pair of spring rollers indicated generally at 60. These rollers are indicated as being mounted on a bracket 61 secured to the horizontal rail 17. Each roller has a rodv 62 extending therethrough, the end 63 of the rod fitting in a socket or the like mounted on a plate 64 on the upper part of the door post, or else on the front wall of the building. A roller 65 is rotatable on the rod and has a section 66 at one end and a rcel 67 at the opposite end. Each of these rails has a ta e 68 wound thereon and the lower end of t e tape is secured to a holding bracket 69 on the marginal edge of the lower panel. A spring 7'0 is mounted in each roller and is illustrated as a helical spring attached at one end to the inside of the roller and at the other end to the rod. The rod has a threaded-end 71 with a lock nut 72 thereon and with a wrench grip end 73 (note particularly Fig. 3). It will be seen by rotating 'the rod relative to the roller and lookin it by the nut 72, that the tension of the spring may be increased or decreased.

In order to brace the tracks adjacent the mounting of the roller, a tie rod 74 is connected between the horizontal sections of the track, being attached to depending bracket plates 75. In order to lock the door, the ivoted latch 76 is utilized on each margin o the door, each being pivoted on a stand 77 and having a link 78 connecting to an oscillating center mounting 79. By shifting these rods one way or the other, the latches may be opto either the vertical channel rails or to a projection from' the door posts or from the front wall of the building.

The manner of operation and functioning of my inventionis as follows: Presuming the door is closed, a person may readily unlatch the door by shifting the link 78 and lifting on the door. The coil roller springs through the medium of the tapes exerting a lift on the panel door tend to counterbalance the weight of such doors and therefore a comparatively light lift is sufficient to start the door movmg` upwardly. Each of the panels is guided by the guided carriages and by the hinged carriages in the movement from the vertical to the horizontal position and these carriages carry the panels in a curved motion from' the upper front portion of the door to thehorizontal position immediately below the ceilingof the building.

In Fig. 7 I illustrate a modified form of my invention. In this construction the4 horizontal as is illustrated in connection with 1:".3

Figs. 1 and 2, but in this case on the end of the track there is a journal 80 having a shaft 81. This shaft extends transversely across the end of the horizontal tracks from one end to the other and on each end there is a reel 82 on which is wound the cable or tape 83. Such cable passes over a pulley 84 at each side of the doorway. A drum 85 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 81 adjacent each of the tracks and has a spiral spring 86 therein. A ratchet 87 is secured to the drum and is engaged by a pawl 88 mounted on the track or other'stationary support. The spring 86 is secured respectively to the drum and to the shaft 81. By this construction as the drums are held stationary by the pawls, the twist of the spring is given to the shaft. and this therefore is under tension to wind in the cable or tape on each of the reels 82 and thus in counterbalancing the weight of the door aid in the lifting of such door. If it is desired to increase or decrease the tension of the spring the pawl may be disengaged from its ratchet and the drums rotated 1n the desired direction.

Various changes may be made in the principles of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof as set forth in the description, drawings and claims.

I claim:

1. In a door construction having a vertically movable door guided in part by vertical uicle means, a pressure guide device connected to the door and having a spring causing a reaction against the said guide to give a tight fit to the door against a structure having a door openingl l 2. In a door construction, a door frame having an'opening, a door mounted in said opening for vertical movement, a guide means to guide the door in such movement, a pressure exerting device on the door having a plate hinged to the door and a spring pressing outwardly on saidplate, and means on the plateto engage the said guide means.

3. In a door construction as claimed in claim 2, a downwardly curved fixed structure at the top of the door, a tension device connected to the upper part of the door and engaging a fixed structure toy pull the upper part of the door downwardly into Contact with the curved fixed structure.

4. A door construction, comprising in combination a door frame having a door formed of a plurality of horizontal panels, a vertical and a horizontal guide track on opposite margins of the door, hinges connecting the panels at their margins, each hin'ge having a guide device operated in the said track and a spring actuated pressure means at the bottom of the door on each side and engaging the said track to force the lower portion of the door into close Contact with the door frame.

bination a door frame, a door formed of a plurality of horizontal panels, a vertical track adjacent the margins of eachdoor, connected by a curved section to a horizontal track above the door opening, the panels being connected by hinges adj acentthe opposisite margins, rollers connecting to each hinge and operated in the tracks on opposite sides of the door, and a pressure carriage at the bottom of the door on .'each side having an outwardly spring pressed plate having a means to engage the vertical track. p

6. A door construction 'as claimed in claim 5, each horizontal track having a forward extension with a downwardly turned end, a roller on each side of the door engaging such extension and the curved end, a pressure exertimqA device adjacent the top of the door on each side having a plate hinged on the door with means engaging the curved part of the connection of the vertical and horizontal tracks and exerting a tension on the upper part of the door to give a tight iit between the door frame and the curved part of the extensions of the horizontal track.

7. In a door construction, a hinge having a pair of leaves connected by a knuckle, a bracket connected to one of the leaves on one side thereof and having a roller offset from the knuckle journaled in the said bracket and adapted to lengage a track.

8. Ina door construction, a pressure exerting carriage having a plate hin ed to the door and having a roller on the ree end of the plate adapted to engage a track adjacent the door and a spring between the door and the plate thrusting the said plate outwardly.

9. In a door construction, a pressure exerting carriage comprising in combination a first roller on the door adapted to engage a downwardly curved track, a plate hinged to the. door and carrying a second roller'adapted to engage a secondv track, and a tension means between the door and the second plate pushengaging the extension track and a second' roller operating inthe guide and tension means between the second roller and the upper part of the door to force the first roller into tight engagement with the said extension.

11. In a door construction having a Vertically lifting door fitting in a door opening and having horizontally hinged panels, a vertical and a horizontal trackway at each side of the door opening having a curved track connection, an upper extension track having a downward curve toward the door opening, the door having a roller at the top to engage the said extenslon, and having a second roller engaging the curved connectlon between the horizontal and vertical tracks with a tension means exerting a pull between the second roller and the upper panel of the door. 12. In a vertically movable hinged panel door, a hinge having apair of leaves connected by a knuckle, one of the leaves having a bracket extending laterally from one slde, such bracket having a plate adjustably mounted thereon, and a rolle/1` mounted on said plate adapted to fit in a guide track.

' 13. In a vertically movable hinged panel door, a plate hinged to one of the panels of the door and having a roller at its outer end, a'rod pivoted tothe door and slidable through an opening in the said plate, and a spring on the rod urging the said plate outwardly.

14. In a-vertically movable hinged panel door, a plate hinged to a panel of the door and having a roller at its outer end, said plate having an opening and a rod pivotally connected to the door extending through said opening and having a spring on the rod on the opposite side of the opening from the door, said spring exerting an inward pressure on the said plate.

15. In a vertically movable hinged panel door, a guide structure comprising a first leaf adapted for connection to a door, a second leaf hingedly connected thereto by a knuckle, the second leaf having a perforar tion, a rod pivotally connected to the first leaf and extending through the perforation and having a compression spring between the first and the second leaves, and a guidemeans on the end of the second leaf adapted to operate in the guide track.

16. In a vertically movable hinged panel door, a guide and pressure carriage comprising a first plate-like leaf adapted for attachmerit to a door, a second leaf hinged thereto by a knuckle, the second leaf having a perforation, a rod pivotally connected to the first leaf and extending through the said perfora tion with a compression spring coiled on the outer end of the rod and pressing inwardly on the said second leaf, a guide means on the first and second leaves to engage guide tracks.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.v

WILLIAM R. HEADLEY. 

